Cost of new siding on a house

When it comes to your home’s exterior, vinyl siding is one of the most popular choices due to its low cost and a wide selection of colors, textures, and designs. If you are considering vinyl siding for your home but wonder what to expect in terms of average cost, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we discuss the different home exterior options, the types of vinyl siding available, how to choose the right vinyl siding for your home, and the average cost to expect for materials and installation.

What Is Vinyl Siding?

Vinyl siding is a type of siding made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin, one of the most widely produced plastics globally. You may be most familiar with its use in pipes, but it has a multitude of applications.

Several decades ago, when vinyl siding first came on the market, it was associated with cracking, warping, and even fading. However, modern siding has evolved considerably and is now much more durably engineered to withstand all sorts of conditions and comes in a multitude of designs and choices.

The benefits of vinyl siding include:

• Durability: Most vinyl siding is designed to withstand wind speeds of over 100 mph. It’s also relatively immune to water damage since it is made of plastic. By choosing vinyl siding, you won’t need to worry about painting either.

• Energy efficiency: Some vinyl siding now comes with additional insulation, making your home much more energy-efficient.

• Insect-proof: Not only do termites not tend to set up shop in plastic, but some vinyl siding is even treated with additional pest-repellent technology.

• Fade-resistant: Modern vinyl siding is designed to last for years without the color fading due to sun exposure.

• Choices: Vinyl siding comes in a huge variety of colors and textures and can be adapted to fit any home.

• Price: Vinyl siding is one of the most inexpensive home exterior options on the market today.

Choosing the Right Vinyl Siding for Your House

There are many factors to consider when choosing vinyl siding. Among them are:

• Color: You want the color or colors of the siding to coordinate and be a good fit for your home and neighborhood.
• Pattern/style: Standard vinyl siding resembles wood, and you can find different styles and accents, including scallops and shakes. Sears Home Services also offers high-performance ASCEND® Composite Cladding by Alside in some areas, which provides the beauty and high-end look of real wood but is engineered to last.
• Thickness: The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) specifies that vinyl siding should be a minimum of 0.035 inches thick, but more durable panels tend to be at least 0.04 inches in thickness. Thickness can also affect the cost, which will be addressed in the next section.
• Insulation: You may choose siding with additional insulation, particularly if your house tends to be poorly insulated.

Be sure to check weather ratings and other durability details for the siding you are considering purchasing. You want to make sure it is built to withstand the conditions associated with where you live and be able to last a long time.

What is The Average Cost of Vinyl Siding?

How much your vinyl siding will cost depends on many factors in addition to the particular quality of siding you choose. The total area of your home’s exterior will determine the amount of siding needed. If your home is irregularly shaped, this makes for a more challenging installation and can result in more scrap and man-hours.

If you are not doing the installation yourself, there are labor costs to consider. If you need to remove your old siding before installation, this will add to the total, as well.

Vinyl Siding Materials Cost

The cost of siding typically runs between $2 and $7 per square foot. You can approximate the exterior of your home as rectangles and triangles to estimate the total area. The area of any rectangular space is the base x height. The area of any triangular spaces is ½ base x height. The total area is the sum.

You can then multiply the total estimated area by the unit price to get the total cost of the siding. For example, if your home has an exterior area of 1,200 square feet, the total cost would be between $2 x 1,200 = $2,400 and $7 x 1,200 = $8,400.

But other materials you need to consider are nails, trim pieces, and so on. Soffits or fascia pieces may be anywhere from $1 and $20 per linear foot, depending on the material chosen. It’s also often a good idea to include 10% additional material, as this is often how much waste is produced by cutting pieces to the appropriate size.

Vinyl Siding Installation Cost

Labor costs for installing vinyl siding run between $2.15 and $5.25 per square foot. For a 1,200-square-foot area, this comes out to a total of $2,580 to $6,300.

Keep in mind that the labor costs can go up with more complicated home exteriors (add about 20%) and if there is a need to remove the previous siding before installing the new siding (add about $0.25 to $0.75 per square foot).

Total Installation Cost

In the end, the total average cost for vinyl siding for a 1,200-square-foot exterior is about $9,000, with a range of between $3,600 and $14,400. This includes all materials, supplies, equipment, and labor. The total average cost for all homes is between $5,655 and $13,890.

If you choose to install the siding yourself, you won’t need to account for labor costs, bringing the price down. But it is always advisable to seek professional installation unless you are sure you know what you’re doing. Otherwise, you may spend even more to fix mistakes.

Cost Compared to Other Home Exterior Solutions

Wood siding installation averages between $7,000 and $23,000, depending on your home size and wood type. Metal siding varies between $3,988 and $14,571, and fiber cement siding runs between $6,020 and $19,692, on average.

While some options, such as painting your home’s exterior — which runs between $1,736 and $4,094 — may be cheaper, you should also consider the durability of materials and how long they will last before needing replacement or redoing.

What to Keep in Mind

Vinyl siding is popular for a reason. It is cost-effective, easy to maintain, durable, and comes in many options. It is also more environmentally friendly than some other options, such as painting, which can release harmful fumes into the environment. Even so, you should always do your research before committing to a big expense.

Here are some additional considerations:

• When choosing vinyl siding, it is sometimes important to consider your home’s historic value. It is best to choose “period” patterns in some situations to help your home retain its value.

• The importance of proper installation cannot be overstated. If you choose the do-it-yourself (DIY) method to cut costs, keep in mind that errors in the installation can lead to leaks and even full-blown mold problems that require extensive repairs.

• If you are factoring in the cost of tearing down your old siding, keep in mind that this is often not necessary. Consult a professional installer to determine if this step can be skipped.

• When people are determining the costs of various home upgrades and renovations, they often look at the short-term cost. This is a mistake, however. It is always best to consider the long-term consequences of your financial decisions.

• By choosing cheap siding to save money now, you will spend more in the long run when you have to replace the siding sooner. Always consider the balance between cost and quality and the longevity of materials.

• Along these same lines, consider purchasing vinyl siding with a warranty to have that extra protection if something goes wrong.

• For most types of vinyl siding, maintenance is easy. Power washing is not required. Instead, a simple mixture of vinegar and water or water and laundry detergent can clean your home’s exterior.

• Make sure you consider all of your options, and if vinyl siding is right for you, choose a reputable installer.

Learn How Sears Home Services Can Install Your Vinyl Siding Today

When you get your vinyl siding from Sears Home Services, it comes with a warranty and satisfaction guarantee. Contact our professionals for your free estimate today.

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